Psychosis after withdrawal of steroid therapy

Abstract

We report a case of schizophreniform illness, which occurred after the withdrawal of steroid therapy. Despite the withdrawal of steroids, the patient's illness persisted and she required symptomatic treatment with phenothiazines and electroconvulsive therapy. The specific role of steroids in the causation of these illnesses is not clear, and may have implications for the aetiology of schizophrenia. Cases such as this have been reported only rarely in the literature.